Device for operating railway-switches



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. DOWNES.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

No. 581,701. Patented May 4,1897.

WITNESSES: INVENTOI? Wax m MW, 094%.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. W. DOWN'ES. DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES. No. 581,701.Patented May 4, 1897.

WITNESSES.

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5 m 'fi B) ATTORNEY.

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GEORGE \V. DOIVNES, OF NEIVARK, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,701, dated May 4,1897.

Application filed August 26, 1896. Serial No. 603,967. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DOWNES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inDevices for Operating Railway-Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to mechanism for operatin g railwayswitches fromthe car without a special attendant at each switch, the latter beingunder control of the motorman or driver while on the car by means of thesaid mechanism comprising my invention.

IVhile the device is intended and adapted more especially for electricstreet or horse cars, it is equally applicable in principle to anyrailway-car.

The invention consists in the application to a car truck or body of apair of bevel-faced disk wheels or rollers which alternately come incontact and en gage with the switch-tongue. This is done by the motormanoperating a hand-lever which extends from the mechanism under the car upand through a slot in the forward platform.

The invention is more particularlyset forth in the following descriptionand illustrated by the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thespecification.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of myinvention as attached to a car-truck. Fig. 2 is a view of the same fromthe opposite side thereof minus the handlever, the support forrock-shaft 12,and spring 8, all omitted for greater clearness in thedrawings. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1 as seen from the under side ofthe car. Fig. I is a plan view of track and switch-tongue particularlyadapted for operation in connection with my invention. Fig. 5 is a viewin side elevation of disk-rollers, showing roller 4 in position to actupon the switch-tongue. This is a disconnected detail view. Fig. 6 is adetail edge view of roller at and its support 15. Fig. 7 is a view incross-section, taken on line 00 of Fig. 4, of guiding stationary tongue21 and adjacent parts.

In the said drawings the numeral 1 represents a car-truck, and 2 one ofthe wheels thereof. The disk wheels or rollers 4 and 5 are counterpartsof each other, having beveled faces on one side, so that the extremeperiphery approximates a sharp edge. Each of these rollers 4t and 5 ispivoted, respectively, to blocks 15 and 16, with their beveled facesstanding in opposite directions. Theircarrying-blocks 15 and 16 are eachmounted in a frame having suitable guideways therein to receive saidblocks, so that they are capable of a vertical up and down movementtherein, working in unison, so that when roller 5 is elevated to anon-active position the other roller 4 is in its active position, andvice versa. The first position just mentioned is seen in Fig. 5. Theidle position, when neither roller is active, is seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The forward frame 10, which supports the block 16, is fixed rigidly tothe truck of the car. The rear frame 9, however, is swiveled on a post,so as to be capable of an outward horizontal swing. This is necessary inthe turning of a curve as will be understood. The line of outward swingis seen in the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The said rear frame 9 isspring-actuated toward frame 10, so that they stand normally in line, asseen in Figs. 1, 2, and The exact form of spring is unimportant. Iprefer a spiral spring 8, surrounding the sleeve 7 of frame 9, connectedto a rigid washer on said post on the car-truck and bearing in turnagainst a stud on said frame 9. The switch-actuating rollers 4c and 5can he held in three positionsfirst, the idle position, as seen in Figs.1 and 2; second, the rear roller 4 down when desiring to turn a curve,and, third, the forward roller 5 down when desiringto keep the straighttrack. The rollers are thrown in these positions directly by therock-shat t 14;, on which is a cross-bar 6, which is slotted near eachend, and in these slots a post on each block 15 and 16 plays. The block15 and post 18 therein are more clearly seen in Fig. 6. The essentialfeatures thus being described, I will now pass to the consideration ofthe mechanism which places the rollers under control of the motorman. Arock-shaft 12 is mounted on the car-truck parallel with rock-shaft 14:,said rock-shafts having similar short cross-arms thereon. Thesecross-arms are connected by wire ropes or chains 11 and 11'. Ahand-lever 13 passes through a slot 17 in the car-platform and isinserted in a perforation or socket in rockshaft 12. It is apparentwithout further explanation that operating said lever 13 back and forthwill throw the rollers 4c and up and down as required.

The track adapted for my invention and forming a part thereofis-illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7. An ordinary switch-tongue 20 is pivotedas usual. A tongue 21, solid with the surface, operates as a guide torollers 4 and 5. A supplemental guide-rail 22 also serves to keep saidrollers snugly and firmly guided.

The ropes or chains 11 11 should be a little bit slack to permit theoutward swing of frame 9.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. A switch-operating mechanism comprising two bevel-faced disk-rollers,the forward one mounted in a frame rigid with the cartruck, the rear onemounted likewise in a frame swiveled to the car truck, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination with a car truck or body, a bevel-faced disk-rollerpivoted to a block, said block mounted in a rigid frame having a trackor guideway therein, a second roller mounted likewise in a frameswiveled to the car-truck, a rock-shaft having a cross-arm thereonengaging with and operating said blocks, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a car-truck a switchoperating mechanismcomprising rigid frame 10, having a guideway therein, outwardlyswingingspring-actuated frame 9 having a guideway therein, blocks 15 and 16mounted respectively in said frames, rollers 4c and 5 pivoted on saidblocks, rock-shaft 14 having cross-arm 6 thereon, rock-shaft 12 havingcross-arm thereon connected to shaft 14, all arranged substantially asdescribed.

at. A switch-operatin g mechanism comprising two bevel-faceddisk-rollers the forward one mounted in a frame rigid with the cartruck,the rear one mounted likewise in a frame swiveled to the car-truck, incombination with a fixed car-rail, a horizontally-shifting pivotedswitch-tongue, a fixed tongue extending oppositely from said pivotedtongue and a supplemental guide-rail parallel with the track, allsubstantially as described and set forth.

5. A switch-operating mechanism comprising rigid frame having guidewaytherein; outwardly-swinging spring-actuated frame 9 having guidewaytherein; blocks 15 and 16 mounted respectively in said frames; rollers iand 5 pivoted on said blocks; rock-shaft 14 having cross-arm 6 thereonand connected with rock-shaft 12 having a cross-arm or equivalentthereon all in combination with a fixed car-rail, a horizontally-shifting switchtongue, a fixed tongue extending oppositely thereto and asupplemental guide -rail, all substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of August, 1896.

GEORGE \V. DO'WNES.

Vitnesses:

JAMES W. SCOTT, LANPHEAR H. 800m.

